Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! (Romans 11:33).

While we’re unable to meet, we encourage you all to seek the Lord together as families (or on your own) using the following liturgy. One person may lead by reading Scriptures and praying. Or, everyone may read together in unison.

Pastor Carter’s sermon this week is on 1 John 2:15-17. A video of this sermon is embedded below. Click here to find an audio version on Sermonaudio.

All Scripture read or quoted is from the English Standard Version (read it online here).

For the Trinity Psalter Hymnal, click here. Links to the psalms, hymns, and creeds are provided below, if available online.

For a PDF of this Worship Guide that you can print, click here.

May God bless your worship and continue to sustain your faith through his word and spirit!

Worship Guide // Sunday, May 31, 2020

opening Scripture - psalm 95:1-5

1 Oh come, let us sing to the LORD;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
3 For the LORD is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his also.
5 The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.

the lord’s prayer

Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth,
as it is in heaven. 
Give us this day our daily bread. 
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors. 
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Psalm of Praise - “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” (Trinity Psalter Hymnal, 429)

The law of god - Matthew 7:1

12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Prayer of confession - Psalm 130

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!
2 O LORD, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!
3 If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,
O LORD, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the LORD
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.
7 O Israel, hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.

A word of grace and pardon - romans 8:1

1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

doxology: (Trinity Psalter Hymnal, 570)

Prayer of Thanksgiving and Supplication

Give thanks to the Father for the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Pray for the Lord’s continuing work in your life, and in the lives of others. Pray to grow in faith, hope, and love. Pray for your family’s physical and spiritual needs and well-being. Pray especially for Sovereign Grace and the church in the midst of this uncertain time. The best way to do this is to use the Prayer List (emailed out to members).

first reading of Scripture: Genesis 3:1-7

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

sermon passage: 1 John 2:12-17

12 I am writing to you, little children,
because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake.
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have overcome the evil one.
I write to you, children,
because you know the Father.
14 I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God abides in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Sermon: “The Christian and The world” (1 John 2:15-17)

Point: The Grace of Christ compels and constrains our hearts to love God, and not the world.

Outline:

  1. A Command

    • Given to the church.

    • Concerning what and whom you love.

    • About the world and its things.

  2. A Warning

    • The love of the world is not from the Father.

    • The world is passing away.

  3. Blessing

    • For those who receive the grace of God in Christ.

    • For those who love God.

    • For those who will outlive the world.

Additional Scripture References (mentioned in sermon):

For an audio version of this sermon, click here.

THE heidelberg Catechism, Q.1 - TRINITY PSALTER HYMNAL, P. 872

Q. What is your only comfort in life and in death?

A. That I am not my own,
but belong—
body and soul,
in life and in death—
to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.
He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood,
and has delivered me from the tyranny of the devil.
He also watches over me in such a way
that not a hair can fall from my head
without the will of my Father in heaven;
in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.
Because I belong to him,
Christ, by his Holy Spirit,
also assures me of eternal life
and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready
from now on to live for him.

closing hymn: “How Firm a Foundation” (Trinity psalter hymnal, 243)

Closing prayer and Scripture - Romans 11:33-36

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord,
    or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Or who has given a gift to him
    that he might be repaid?”

36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.